Obituaries
The Bigfork Eagle runs obituaries and death notices for people who have lived in the Bigfork area. To submit, e-mail editor@bigforkeagle.com or call 837-5131. Deadlines are every Monday at noon.
Malvin Franks
Malvin "Mel" Franks, 57, died Friday, March 5, 2010, at his residence in Bigfork.
He was born Jan. 26, 1953, in Helena to Frank and Clara (Bartel) Franks.
Mel was raised in Helena and graduated from Helena High School. Upon graduation, Mel spent six months living on the island of Molokai in Hawaii with missionary Eddie Peterson. He lived in Ellendale, N.D., from 1971 to 1975 while he attended Trinity Bible College, where he met Virginia "Ginnie" Ruth Bennett. They were married Aug. 8, 1975, in Mission, S.D.
He received his bachelor's of arts degree in Bible theology from Central Bible College in Springfield, Mo. He lived for two and a half years in Edgemont, S.D., where he was pastor of Edgemont Assembly of God Church.
He worked as a heavy equipment operator for Walter Bartel. Mel and Ginnie lived in Craig, Colo., where he worked for Tri-State Power Plant from 1979 to 2002. Mel received the president award from Tri-State along with many other awards and certificates during his time there. They moved to Bigfork in 2002, where Mel went to work for Flathead Electrical Co-Op as fleet director. Mel was a craftsman and builder; he built their home in Craig, and with Mel's assistance, Ginnie designed and they built their dream home in Bigfork.
He was bass singer in quartets and choirs, and was also a choir director. He liked photography, hiking, fishing, hunting, fly tying, woodworking, canoeing, motorcycle riding, traveling, wood cutting, landscaping, gardening, music and sitting on the deck looking at Swan Mountain. He loved to go walking along the Swan River with Keeton, his dog. A bench will be built by his nephews Ricky and Leonard Catterlin and placed on the Swan River Nature Trail in memory of Mel.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Mel is survived by his wife, Ginnie Franks of Bigfork; two sisters, Louise Mary Podgorski and Lucille "Lucy" Emilia Woodward; a niece; five nephews; five great nieces and three great nephews.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Monday, March 15, at the Crossroads Christian Fellowship in Bigfork, with Pastor Hal Curtis officiating. Visitation was held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Ducks Unlimited or Crossroads Christian Fellowship.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Mel's family. Visit www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and view Mel's tribute wall.
Dallas R. Holst
Dallas Ray Holst, 72, died in his home in Bigfork on March 8, 2010, of natural causes.
He was born Sept. 15, 1937, in Glasgow to Ray and Helen (Legge) Holst.
Dallas was raised in the Flathead Valley and went to Flathead High School in Kalispell. After spending four years as a Navy Seabee, he worked in the oil fields around Tioga, N.D. Dallas, along with his brother Bob and their father Ray, then owned a distributorship for Olympia Beer which delivered to the northwestern region of Montana for many years.
Dallas enjoyed fishing in Swan Lake in the summers and spending the winters in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.. He appreciated a sunny day and a delicious meal and always enjoyed telling a good story and spending time with his family and friends. Dallas was a member of the Paralyzed Veterans Association as well as a member of the Elks. He will be greatly missed by those who knew him.
He is survived by his wife, Ann Holst of Bigfork; son, David Holst of Los Angeles; daughter and son-in-law, Laura and Marc Miller of Colorado; brother, Robert Holst of Creston; and sister and brother in-law, Sandy and Harry Haroldson of Tacoma, Wash. Dallas is also survived by his nieces, nephews and friends.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell, with Pastor Glenn Burfiend of the Kalispell First Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial immediately followed at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery in Kalispell.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Dallas's family. Visit www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and view Dallas's tribute wall.
Paul M. Bass, Jr.
Paul M. Bass, Jr., of Dallas, Texas, died Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at the age of 74.
Bass was vice chairman of First Southwest Co., an investment-banking firm based in Dallas, and served on the board of directors of First Southwest Asset Management Inc. He also served as director and member of the Audit Committee of Comp X International.
He was born April 26, 1935, in Tyler, Texas, and, after service in the U.S. Air Force, graduated in 1957 from Southern Methodist University with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
In 2006, he received his alma mater's Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor the university bestows upon its graduates. He also received the SMU Cox School of Business Distinguished Alumni Award.
Decades of volunteer service and his tireless commitment to improving health care in Dallas for all its citizens earned him the 2003 Linz Award, Texas' oldest and most prestigious civic honor. He received numerous other awards and accolades.
In the 1980s he served as chairman of the Board of Managers of Parkland Memorial Hospital.
After his six-year term on the Parkland board was up, he turned his attention to its sister institutions – UT Southwestern Medical Center, Zale Lipshy University Hospital, St. Paul Medical Center, Children's Medical Center Dallas, Parkland Foundation and Southwestern Medical Foundation – serving in leadership capacities in each of these organizations, most recently as chairman of the board of Southwestern Medical Foundation from 1995 to 2008.
Bass also was a member of the Dallas Citizens Council and served as chairman of the Finance Committee of the State Fair of Texas and on the board of the Phoenix Houses of Texas.
For 41 years, he was an active member of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas and served as its president from 1990 to 1991.
He also had a home in Bigfork.
Bass is survived by his wife, Carla; his son, Paul M. Bass III and wife, Laura; his daughter, Catherine Bass Hawes, and husband, John M. Hawes III; John C. and Susan Rutledge, and Karen and Steave Wayman; and six grandchildren.
A service celebrating his life was held at 2 p.m. Monday, March 15, at Highland Park United Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to The Paul Bass Fund, c/o Southwestern Medical Foundation, 2305 Cedar Springs Road, Suite 150, Dallas, TX 75201-7805.
The Paul Bass Fund will support clinical cardiology in honor of Dr. John Warner and is designated for a new University Hospital or to The Salesmanship Club of Dallas, 400 S. Zang Blvd., PMB 77, Suite 700, Dallas, TX 75208-6642.